Petunia plant named ‘Sunbui Sairemi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunbui Sairemi’, characterized by its semi-trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large vivid red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBUI SAIREMI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunbui Sairemi’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous Petunia plants with a semi-trailing plant habit and numerous large attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in March, 2011 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name LNPR, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Pri-198, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since June, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbui Sairemi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunbui Sairemi’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Semi-trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Large vivid red purple-colored flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Petunia are not as compact as plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower size as plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘USTUNI6001’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,730. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘USTUNI6001’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were larger than plants of         ‘USTUNI6001’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had slightly thicker stems than         plants of ‘USTUNI6001’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had larger leaves than plants of         ‘USTUNI6001’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘USTUNI6001’.     -   5. Petal margins of plants of the new Petunia were more undulate         than petal margins of plants of ‘USTUNI6001’.     -   6. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘USTUNI6001’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘USTUNI6001’ had bright pink-colored flowers.     -   7. Plants of the new Petunia had larger sepals than plants of         ‘USTUNI6001’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbui Sairemi’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Sunbui Sairemi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunbui Sairemi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code name LNPR, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Pri-198, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Semi-trailing plant habit;             freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 37.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 91.6 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 43 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.7 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; viscid.         -   Color.—Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acute to broadly acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138A; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5.1 mm. Diameter: About 2.6 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 90 flowers developing per plant during the             flowering season; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about two to             three weeks after planting; long flowering period, flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—Relatively large, about 6.55 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 4.2 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 3.8 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 6.8 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical; apex, twisting. Color: Close to 83A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2.6 cm. Petal width: About 3.2 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin: Entire;             undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube             texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening,             upper surface: Close to 72A; venation, close to N79A. Petal,             when opening, lower surface: Close to 77B; venation, close             to N79A. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74A;             venation, close to N79A; color does not change with             development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to             77B; venation, close to N79A. Throat: Close to 79B;             venation, close to N79A. Tube: Close to N79D; venation,             close to 142B and N79A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal             length: About 2 cm. Sepal width: About 5.1 mm. Sepal shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color:             Developing and fully developed sepals, upper surface: Close             to 138A. Developing and fully developed sepals, lower             surface: Close to 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.             Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 144A tinted with             close to 59A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 1.7 cm to 2.4 cm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2.3 mm by 3.1 mm. Anther             color: Close to N88D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 86B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 2.2 cm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             N88C. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunbui Sairemi’ as illustrated and described. 